


10) Tainted Blood

by Iarollane



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Blood Magic, Blood and Gore, Darkspawn, Gen, Grey Warden Alistair (Dragon Age)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:54:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21867838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iarollane/pseuds/Iarollane
Summary: A minor hiccup during the journey to the Western Approach shows everyone in the Inquisition what blood magic can accomplish.
Relationships: Alistair & Female Warden (Dragon Age), Solas & Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 2
Collections: Fulfilled prompts from various people





	10) Tainted Blood

**Author's Note:**

> This is occurring during my Singer of Magic AU, though further along in the timeline than I currently have written.

**Prompt** : "Listen, I can't explain it. You'll have to trust me."

==

We were on our way to the ritual tower that Alistair had found out about, maybe a week's travel from reaching the edges of the Western Approach. The plains grass and tall tree stands had given way to scrub bushes and the occasional twisted tree. It was beautiful, in its own way, though I'd always prefer the ocean.

We'd met up with Garren Hawke and Alistair a few days ago. Garren was never going to be friendly, but at least he wasn't plotting ways to kill me in my sleep. He was sticking close to Varric, talking quietly with him.

Alistair was using his dry wit to good advantage, telling us stories of his wife, the Warden Commander Surana, while we rode. Solas was nearby, close enough to hear our conversation without being so close as to be a participant. By this point, we'd somehow pulled ahead of the others by almost a quarter mile or so. I wasn't too worried, since the area was relatively flat, and it was easy to see everyone behind us and the nothing ahead of us.

"So, no lie," he laughed through his story, "she pushed me over the waterfall. Jumped right in after me, because she's crazy like that." The smile faded slightly, becoming wistful. "Maker, I miss them," he said softly.

"Them?" I asked, curious.

"Ah. Yes, Zevran is with her, watching her back. Lucky bastard." The last was said mostly to himself.

I looked out at the trail, not really seeing it as I considered. "I'm rather surprised that you let him go with her," I commented. "I always thought you hated him."

"Who told you that? Leliana?" He shook his head. "He's not so bad. He's like a fungus..." he started, looking sideways at me expectantly.

"He grows on you?" I finished dryly.

"Exactly." Alistair grinned. "I'll be honest, at first I didn't like him. I didn't trust him. But at some point, I saw..." he trailed off, eyes narrowed as he scanned our surroundings.

"Alistair?" I prodded.

"Go back. Get to the others," he said, suddenly serious. He started easing his sword from its scabbard.

"Why?" Solas's voice was sharp behind me. He had no love for the warden. "There's nothing here. Even the spirits find this area to be slim pickings."

"Listen, I can't explain it right now, there's no time! You'll have to trust me. Go!" He wheeled his horse around, lifting his blade up and flashing a signal in the sun with it, then scrambled out of his saddle, digging into the compartments for something.

After hesitating just a moment, I nodded to Solas, and we both turned our mounts. Kicking my hart into a gallop, I saw Garren pushing forward on his own horse. Magic wreathed him as he passed us.

We reached the rest of our friends, and turned back to look in time to see Garren already off his horse reach out, grab Alistair's hand, and slice it. Their horses were galloping off, eyes rolling in panic.

As Garren cut into Alistair, the ground around them seemed to crumble, and numerous darkspawn emerged. Even as I gasped, ready to race back to them to help, Garren did... **something**. I felt power surge around them, and dark red vines manifested, a gruesome hurricane with Garren at its center. They went hurtling through the creatures, chasing those that tried to run, even diving into the ground, presumably seeking out those still in their tunnels.

It was over surprisingly quickly. We watched with baited breath, waiting to see if more darkspawn would appear. I saw instead Garren waver, then fall over. Alistair was beside him in an instant, checking him.

I rushed out towards them, already preparing my Song for healing, but Alistair looked up, waving me back. "It wouldn't be a good idea to go into that, ma'da'mis," Solas said beside me. "The ground, where it isn't falling into the tunnels, is covered in the taint."

I could see what Solas was talking about. The area surrounding the two was either gone, disappeared into the tunnels, or black with blood. As I took it all in, Alistair finished looking over Garren, then picked him up in a fireman's carry and started picking his way towards us.

I could hear Garren grumbling as they drew closer. "I don't need to be carried. I can walk fine on my own."

"Let's not test that theory," Alistair quipped. "You're exhausted. Last time you did this, it took three days to get you on your feet."

Garren scoffed, but didn't disagree. "You're ok?" I asked. "What was that? I've never heard of anything like that!"

"It was a form of blood magic," Dorian's voice said from behind me. "Similar in design to how your southern circles use phylacteries to chase the mages down." He looked impressed despite himself. "Only, instead of focusing the secondary spell on the blood, he focused instead on the taint within it"

"You're forgetting the part where I have to weave protections into it at the same time, to keep this knucklehead from getting caught in it," Garren said tiredly.

Alistair moved to pass us and staggered. It was only then that I noticed he looked as haggard as Garren. "Start setting up camp!" I called out, reaching to help steady him.

"No!" Alistair and Garren both yelled. Alistair continued in a calmer voice, "We need to keep moving. Those tunnels will need to be closed, but for now we need to get as far away as we can before nightfall."

"You can barely stand, Garren can't at all-" I started arguing.

"That's the point, boss," Bull put in. "That was a great light show, but it's only good when the one capable of casting is actually, you know, capable of casting it."

"Simply put," Solas said, "Hawke is in no condition to deal with it if more darkspawn come."

"Shit." I growled under my breath. "Alright. Do we have mounts for these two? Are you two even able to ride?"

Garren huffed. "Just tie me to the saddle. I'll be fine."

**Author's Note:**

> Alistair here is mentioning another drabble I wrote for Fictober, which is posted in this collection under the title 'Sink or Swim.'


End file.
